Our Home Inspection Blog

Termites in Calgary - Termites are a very real issue here in Calgary. Millions of dollars worth of damage are done by them every year, and is often "done in silence".

Termites are a very difficult insect to find, identify, and treat. As a natural defense against predators, they tend to keep their damage (and themselves) limited to unseen areas in the walls and framing. But does this mean that they are impossible to find?

Not if you know what you are looking for. First, make sure you hire a qualified pest inspector. Also, don't go knocking down walls looking for them. Look for what are called mud tubes first. Termites build these slender tubes with mud and "frass" to travel in, and they are one of the best ways to identify a problem.

If you are fortunate enough to find their damage, make sure it is properly identified. Many people, even experienced exterminators, mistake their damage for wood rot or carpenter ant damage. The picture below is a good example of termite damage. Notice the packed in "frass" in the tunnels, as that is one of the key things to look for. Questions? Contact me!

We are planning to update the termite map in the Canadian building code and are looking for information on recent termite infestations. I had not heard about termites in Calgary before but a Google search found your blog. Any information would be helpful.

Reply

Jenny Hetherington

3/6/2018 09:58:36 pm

Are you interested in finding out about termites in ON? I bought a house with an undisclosed termite problem. We are going to Court in April (in ON). I found out, after the purchase, that the problem had existed for 20 years and had been very well hidden by all those affected.